(CNN)-Former Senator Fred Thompson thanked the New York Times and Hillary Clinton campaign Saturday for some publicity in the "Scooter" Libby case.

Thompson, speaking before the Young Republican National Convention Saturday in Hollywood, Florida, told the crowd how he had been an early supporter of Lewis "Scooter" Libby's legal defense. "I didn't know Scooter, but I knew an injustice when I saw one," the former actor told the crowd.

He went on to offer some word of thanks for the publicity about his support of Libby. "The New York Times and the Hillary Clinton campaign have got us number one on their target list, so I want to report that and say I appreciate all their help," Thompson said. "If nothing else, we've apparently convinced the Clinton's that it really is a bad thing to lie under oath," he said as his line was greeted with laughter from the audience.

Libby, Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, was facing a 30 month prison term for perjury, obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators probing the leak of a CIA operative's identity. President Bush commuted Libby's prison sentence on Monday, but left his conviction in tact.

Thompson is exploring a possible run for the GOP presidential nomination, and is expected to formally enter the race later this summer.

D L Gallatin, TN:
Are you truly serious? Honourable Man? Down home common sense? What Down Home locality would that be? What America needs now is a Miracle. And what America needs for it's future IS NOT another Libby Supporting, Bush Loving, Starry Eyed, Utopian Themed, Republican!

You have got to be kidding me. An injustice?! Thompsom must be as corrupt as the rest of the Republicans.This man(Libby) lied under oath and obstructed justice knowing who outed a CIA operative,a treasonist act in itself. The Clinton administration lied under oath for an affair. The Bush administration refuses to make any statement under oath.They seem to think they are above the law. Obviously the Bush administration has a lot more to hide than Bill Clinton ever did. Bill Clinton's lies didn't get anyone killed or cost a CIA operative their career.As an independant,Mr. Thompson,you just really blew it. The Democrats should be thanking you.

Does this guy really believe he the big cahuna that the Democratic front runner is worried about? If so he is delusional. More likely this is a calculated appeal to get that part of the base that lives poor to vote rich, which is to say Republican. If Karl Rove did not exist, they would have to invent him.

I find it amusing how threatened Democrats seem to feel with Thompson. He can't announce his candidacy soon enough. He is up front and doesn't tip toe around issues. I am with Fred if he decides to run in '08.

That's odd, I don't remember anyone being prosecuted for outing a covert CIA operative. Since Armitage publicly admitted to leaking her name first, it shouldn't have been hard to prosecute him. So I ask the liberals on this board, why no prosecution?

Could it be because no crime was committed? According to the statute, leaking the name of a paper pusher at the C.I.A. isn't a crime.

There was no crime committed in the leaking. It was said that Libby lied when he couldn't remember some details in a conversation discussing the leak. I still disagree with the commuting the jail time. Bill Clinton should serve time for his perjury that was far more blatant then Libby's. Bush & Clinton are different sides to the same coin.
Thompson was elected in Tenn. after he had exposed a political scandal. Obama has shone that he votes the way he feels & then stands by his decisions. Lets start talking real change & throw most these bums out.

No one was charged with disclosing Plame's name because Libby lied to the federal grand jury (hence the obstruction of justice charges) and they were not able to find out WHO told Libby/Armitage/etc to leak the name to the press. Basically, Libby is lying to cover-up for his boss and has been ensured that he will never serve any prison time. So where is his incentive to tell the truth?

As far as Fred Thompson goes, lol...The only thing that makes Thompson a "tough guy" is that he pretends to be one; he play-acts as one. There is nothing real about it. But in the same way that George Bush's ranch and fighter pilot costumes (along with his war advocacy) sent media stars swooning over his masculinity and "toughness," the Bush followers in need of a new authoritarian Leader are so intensely hungry for this faux masculine power that the illusion, the absurd play-acting, is infinitely more valuable to them than any reality, than any genuine attributes of "toughness."

The only thing that would scare Democrats and Independents would be another 4 years of a PR presidency which is wonderful when it comes to photo-ops and sounds bytes, but extremely lacking when it comes to making sound policy

FRED THOMPSON IS A JOKE WHO KNOWS HE HAS MOST COUNTRY PEOPLE FOOLED. BUT HE IS A LIAR & ACTOR WHO SUPPORTS THE BUSH/CHENEY FAMILY AGENDA... WHEN BUSH JR. SHOULD HAVE BEEN IMPEACHED 4 YEARS AGO OVER THE IRAQI 'W.M.D.' LIES. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN DONE BY THE DEMOCRATS WHEN REPUBLICANS PUT BILL CLINTON THOUGH THIS HELL FOR ONLY HAVING SEX WITH AN AIDE?? ARE THESE 2 PARTIES IN CAHOOTS? SOMETHING'S GONE VERY WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY TODAY!

Quinton, Chicago, IL ... I'm a Democrat ... in Chicago, and I can't name a single Dem who's "scared" of this guy. But think what you want regardless of whether it's factual or not (just like Dubya always does) – it helped us take congress in November. Funny how you repubs HATE Hollywood, yet you're supporting ANOTHER actor for president? If flip-flops are your game, you might want to support Romney!

Robb in Memphis and totaltransformation ... Sherry NEVER said Libby was convicted for breaking the law against outing CIA agents. He was found guilty of obstructing justice and lying.

Arguing points nobody even made? Wait ... are you two republicans by chance?

And Armitage was not prosecuted by Fitzgerald because he could not prove that Armitage KNEW Valerie Plame was covert before he leaked it – whereas Libby was told by Cheney point blank and Libby LIED about it under oath.

Robb in Memphis and totaltransformation ... you guys conveniently missed THOSE damning details eh? Wait ... are you two republicans by chance?

Andy in OHIO ...Thompson "tells it like it is"? So if roughly 25% of the population believes it, it's the truth?

"Robb in Memphis and totaltransformation … Sherry NEVER said Libby was convicted for breaking the law against outing CIA agents. He was found guilty of obstructing justice and lying."

My point, which you apparently missed, was that the investigation was all bogus. If it had been valid then Fitzgerald should have moved against the known and self-admitted leaker (Armitage) months ago. Yet there has been no prosecution. I ask again, why?

You don't need Libby's testimony to convict the man responsible for the leak as he has publicly admitted as much. The reason there has been not a single charge filed against anyone else is because the investigation was all a show. Whether it be Kenneth Starr or Pat Fitzgerald, the independent counsels office seems to be utterly useless and a waste of cash.

"Sherry NEVER said Libby was convicted for breaking the law against outing CIA agents."

Neither did I. I was addressing her claim that Libby "obstructed justice knowing who outed a CIA operative,a treasonist act in itself." Apparently it wasn't very "treasonist" [treasonous] since the self-confessed leaker has never been prosecuted.